Traditionally, containers for discharging cosmetic products, such as shaving cream or soap, require two hands for use. One hand holds, positions and actuates the container so that material is dispensed into the proper location in the other hand. It is often desirable, however, to dispense products with one hand, directly into the same hand. This leaves the second hand free, if desired or necessary. It is also often desirable to dispense products while the container is standing in position on a sink or counter, without lifting the container. Such one-hand actuation can be easier and neater in dispensing shaving cream, soap, cosmetics, tanning lotion, toothpaste, and many other products. The ability to dispense certain products with only one hand, freeing the second hand, could be particularly useful in a hospital emergency room, operating rooms or in other medical applications.
Traditional dispensing also usually requires that an extended index finger depress the actuator of the dispensing mechanism. This is an awkward, ergonomically inefficient action. The fingers and hand can provide much greater leverage when in a closed or semi-closed position. The thumb is a particularly strong digit which can provide greater leverage for actuation than the index finger. The ergonomically inefficient configurations of traditional dispensing mechanisms can cause finger fatigue or may be incapable of actuation by the weak, elderly or infirm.
In addition, most traditional aerosol and pump dispensers provide an actuator directly above the actuator valve of the container. This provides little or no mechanical advantage on actuation. It would be advantageous to provide a lever arm which engages the container valve and has a portion for engagement by a user's finger. The container valve can then be actuated by rotation of the lever. As long as the distance from the point of engagement by the user's finger on the lever arm to the hinge of the lever arm is greater than the distance from the valve stem (or other part of the container to be actuated) to the hinge of the lever arm, a mechanical advantage is provided, easing actuation. The greater the difference between these two lever arms, the greater the mechanical advantage.